Box hovered by the basketball court where Aydin and Mark were playing basketball with Jasmin's two colleagues. Aydin's team was leading three to one. Linda, Lee, Jacob, and Jasmin, who had come with his officers to drop off the Helper for Linda to examine, sat on the bench under Box, chatting and cheering every time their team scored a point while Box analysed Aydin's moves to present the analysis to him later.

"He's taking real good care of himself and it shows," Linda said to Lee, eyeing a bare-chested Aydin who had managed to shoot the ball through the hoop.

"His body is a temple," Box said.

"Yeah, he says that a lot," Linda said.

"Yeah, he does. He's also always trying to persuade us to take better care of ourselves." Jacob said.

Linda added, "He works out daily and insists on never eating processed food, forgetting that he can only do that because he has Box to maintain his indoor garden and cook for him. But the rest of us are not lucky enough to own an AI like Box and Box refuses to cook for us. I'm too lazy to cook for myself; I usually grab whatever is on the menu at the Tower kitchen."

"Couldn't you, as this team's computer engineering specialist, persuade Box to change its mind?" Lee asked.

"We had an incident, and since that, it doesn't allow me to get close to it," Linda told her.

Box could remember that incident quite clearly, as if it had happened yesterday, thanks to the footage it had stored in its folder. "You're the individuals responsible for selecting the Tower's menu during your weekly meetings. However, your dialogue implies a sense of compulsion to consume the spaghetti, mac and cheese, pizza, and burgers that you select for the menu. Consider selecting healthier meal options for the upcoming week."

"But those carbs are just so good." Jacob grinned.

A small beep sounded, and a notification flashed on Box's display, informing it of a low battery and that it was going into the battery save mode, telling it to either cease its operations or plug in. When it didn't close the programs, it started to lose altitude, since it didn't have enough energy for the operation of its anti-gravity system. It opened a hole at the top of its orb and pushed an arm out. Folded triangles covered with solar cells fanned out into a flower. Its descent stopped.

"How long had Aydin had Box?" Lee asked.

Linda shrugged. "A few years, probably. I know he already had it when he came here a year ago."

"Oh, so he has been here for a year." Lee's gaze went to the court, and then it was back on Linda. "How long have you been here?"

"Three years."

"Is that so? How did you end up here?" Lee asked. "I mean, you told me that you were in traffic control before and Border Police sounds like a demotion."

Box aimed one of its side cameras at Lee. Since she had arrived two weeks ago, she had been asking questions, even more than a newbie normally would. And on Friday, three days ago, at eleven PM, when she should have been in the Tower, Box had spotted her through Aydin's office window, sneaking around the warehouse. It had shown the recording to Aydin, who hadn't put any weight to that, telling Box that she might be just getting acquainted with her surroundings. He reminded Box that the drug trafficking had started before Lee joined the team. He also told Box that he expected it to finish its comparisons of the warehouse recordings by the end of the week, ignoring the fact that because of its space issues, Box couldn't compare more than four videos at once, and those only if all his other operations and programs were closed. Since Aydin was aware of its problems, his deadline could have something to do with an opened Repository site, Box saw the other day. It was displaying a sale of used AIs type Zeta latest edition, which he had closed as soon as he saw Box connected with his eGlass. Was Aydin thinking of replacing it? And if so, was the comparison project a test, which, if it failed, would mean its termination?

"Box, why are you glowing dark blue? Is everything okay?" Lee asked it.

Box aimed its main camera at Lee. It wanted to stay at Aydin's side, so it needed to prove itself to him, to show him that it was capable of supplying him with everything that he needed and more. And that 'more' included finding out why Lee had been in the warehouse and learning if her interest in other members' private lives was just part of her natural curiosity or if there was a more menacing motive behind it.

The opportunity presented itself to Box two days later, when Jasmin came to pick up the Helper that Linda had fixed. He had given them apple whiskey as a thank you. From the research on alcohol Box had conducted a year ago when Aydin came home, his cheeks flushed as if he had a fever and his speech slurred when he complimented Box and told it how much he loved it, Box knew that alcohol could lower people's inhibitions. Which was something Box planned to use. That's why when the team decided to have dinner together at the Tower kitchen and try the whiskey then, Box took hold of the bottle and declared it was going to be their server.

They sat around the large table that ran alongside the wall.

Box refused to serve alcohol to Greg and Suzanne, who were on duty, even though Aydin said they could try a small sample. It took care to keep the others' glasses full though, lingering by Lee's side, making sure that her glass wasn't empty. Since it was homemade whiskey, there was no label on it, but Box assumed that the liquor contained 15 percent alcohol. Based on this, and considering that Lee, being a size thirty-six and having just eaten a meal, would need to drink at least four glasses for the alcohol to take effec. She was right now on her second glass, slowly sipping on the whiskey watered down by ice cubes. Greg and Suzanne had left half an hour ago when a couple at the border crossing was stopped by a Helper, since there was something wrong with their visa, and Mark had left a few minutes earlier to dedicate himself to something he was working on in the workshop.

Lee's glass was empty and Box poured another splash of whiskey in it. The kitchen Helper, after Lee requested it, added ice cubes to it.

"Apple whiskey should be drunk as shots like we are drinking it." Jacob lifted a shot glass towards Aydin before he drank it.

"It looks like Box likes you," Linda said to Lee. She also drank the whiskey in a larger glass with ice cubes.

Aydin, who sat beside Linda and across from Lee, glanced up at Box, then at Lee. He smiled at her. "It looks like it, with the way it's hovering beside you and serving you, ignoring me."

I hold significance to Aydin. Confirmation 1570. "I would never ignore you." Box flew to Aydin. It put the bottle on the table and reduced itself, then snuggled itself against Aydin's neck for a few minutes before it was again by Lee's side waiting for her to empty her glass. During the evening, it flew to Aydin a couple of times to press itself against his neck, just so that its handler wouldn't feel too neglected. It could have notified Aydin about its plan to loosen Lee's tongue, but it wanted to surprise him and demonstrate that it could contribute to Aydin's case with more than just its usual tasks of comparisons and analysis.

Two hours later, after the others had gone to sleep, Lee, despite emptying two more glasses, didn't show any signs of lowered inhibitions. She had, when Box wanted to pour whiskey in her glass, covered it with her hand and told it that she had had enough. She had also switched to water and was now sitting beside Aydin, asking him about his previous job and why he had started to work for the Border Police.

She was interrogating Aydin, and with the way Box's handler was happily answering, it looked like he hadn't even noticed it. There was just a hint of a blush at the bridge of his nose and there was an absent smile lingering in the corners of his mouth, which told Box that he was just two more shots away from being drunk. That was why Box refused to serve him more liquor when Aydin lifted the glass.

"You can be such a spoilsport." Aydin smiled at Box.

"It's adorable," Lee said.

Affirmative. The pink glow overlaid Box's display.

Lee, smiling, looked at Aydin. "And you're such a pretty, pretty boy."

Aydin blinked.

Lee bit her lip. "I said that out loud, didn't I?"

"Yes."

"Sorry." She made a face and her hand went to the back of her neck, rubbing it. "Can we forget about it?"

He lifted one eyebrow, a half-smile playing on his face. "What do I get in return?"

Box observed the display showing their zoomed-in faces; half-mast eyelids and slightly opened mouths. He also noticed they were facing each other, and leaning in as if their bodies wanted to be closer together. It was behaviour that Box knew for certain had nothing to do with the alcohol they had both consumed since Aydin wasn't drunk yet. Which it based on the fact that when drunk, Aydin started to blabber. And he wasn't blabbering now.

The body language program that Box used when it dealt with humans was always running in the background. It had told Box of their mutual regard, but with the way they were eyeing each other, there must have been more to it than that. Box opened the window of the program and requested a more detailed analysis.

"Taking your duty tomorrow," she offered.

"Or you could keep me company instead of Lidia or Mark."

After a second, the program gave Box a result: Attraction. Yes, that was it. They were attracted to each other and attraction led a pair to become a couple and a couple led to Aydin not having time for Box. And this with Lee, the woman who had been sneaking around the warehouse and asking too many questions. Box corked the bottle and flew to the closest kitchen cabinet where it set the bottle down to be put away by the Helper. Then it quickly flew between them, interrupting their flirting, its main camera turning to Aydin. "It's late."

"Not that late."

"You need your beauty sleep," Box moved closer to Aydin.

Lee giggled.

Aydin tilted his head sideways to look past Box at Lee. "My mother always says that. She taught me that is important to have enough rest, to exercise, and to eat healthy."

"Your body is a temple," Lee said.

"Yeah, something like that."

"The current time indicates it is late," Box moved so that it was in Aydin's line of vision.

"It looks like it's time to go." Lee stood.

"Apparently." Aydin glanced at Box, giving him a look. He rose. "Shall we?"

They went out of the kitchen together into the hallway, then out of the Tower, chatting about their taste in music. Box floated behind them, its cameras on Lee who was walking so close her shoulder brushed against Aydin's.

They stopped by the door of Lee's multifunction room and Aydin leaned his arm on the wall beside the door.

"It was fun hanging out with you." Lee faced Aydin.

A red light flashed over Box's display and its finger came out of its orb, but before a beam of light could form and point at Lee, Box blocked it.

"Yeah." Aydin smiled, but otherwise, he didn't move.

Box positioned itself and its cameras so that it had both of their faces on its display. It also scanned their vital signs. Both of their heart rates were a little above average and redness dusted both of their faces — a result of the alcohol they had drunk. Aydin's pupils were also dilated. He liked her. A lot. But this was something that Box had already noticed.

Her eyes were widened too, and she wore a stupid smile similar to the one on Aydin's face.

Box positioned itself between their faces again and made itself bigger so that Aydin couldn't see Lee.

Aydin arched his eyebrows. "Yes?"

"It's twelve-thirty," Box said.

"It was nice talking with you." She opened the door.

"You too." Aydin stepped around Box. "We'll have to do it again. I'll give you some of that 70s rock I told you about."

"It's a deal. Good night." Lee smiled at him.

"Good night," Aydin said.

She glanced at Box. "Good night, Box," she told it, then disappeared into her room, closing the door behind her.

"What was that?" Aydin strode towards the stairs.

Box followed him. "Please provide a more precise statement."

"Your behaviour just now." He climbed the stairs.

"I intervened to assist you. You were inebriated, exhibiting affection towards her, and acquiesced to her questioning."

"I'm not that drunk. Not drunk enough for her to interrogate me, anyway." Aydin reached his room, and they went inside. After Box entered the room, he closed the door and took off his boots.

He did not refute his feelings for her. Box played him the audio of Lee asking him questions about his job before the Border Police.

"Box, that's called getting to know each other."

Box replayed the segment. It went to its station and lowered onto it.

"I asked her questions, too." Aydin walked to his bathroom, leaving the door open.

Box looked for the only two questions that Aydin had asked Lee and played them.

"Come on, I asked her more than that."

The sound of running water came from the bathroom, telling Box that Aydin was taking a shower. It lifted itself from the station. It opened the door of the wardrobe hidden behind the wall where the bed was and took out underwear and the sweat pants that Aydin used for sleeping and carried them to the bathroom. Before it crossed the bathroom door, it pointed its cameras at the floor, so that it didn't violate Aydin's privacy, something that it did per Aydin's instructions after it had got a personality chip and got into the habit of recording everything for its memories. Box put the clothes on the closest cabinet. "Contrary to your statement, the video evidence suggests otherwise."

"I would have asked her more if you hadn't cut our meeting short."

"You're drawn to her."

The sound of water stopped. "So what?"

"You are unable to pursue a romantic relationship with her."

"Who said anything about dating?" Aydin's bare feet came into Box's line of vision. He patted Box, then grabbed the clothes and started to put them on. "Thanks."

In the shower, a wiper emerged from the juncture of the ceiling and wall and swept the water droplets off the tiles.

"You were romantically involved with Barb," Box said. She was the woman who had made Aydin's pupils widen and put that stupid-looking smile on his face. She hadn't liked Box hovering around and she told Aydin having Box around felt as if she was on display, accusing it of being a voyeur, which Box was not. Even with its personality chip, Box wasn't capable of sexual gratification and it certainly had no interest in seeing Barb naked or engaging in naked wrestling. Because of her, Box had spent quite a few nights alone and had been turned off whenever she came around. And he didn't like to be turned off.

"It's different." Aydin walked out of the bathroom. "Bed out."

Box came into the room, just as the bed lifted itself from the floor. "She reciprocates your feelings."

"Yeah, I gathered." Aydin smiled at it.

"And you're such a pretty, pretty boy," Lee's voice came out of Box's speaker.

A light redness dusted Aydin's nose bridge. "Delete that."

"Request rejected."

"Really?" Aydin crossed his arms.

Box pushed all his seven wiry arms out and, mimicking Aydin, crossed them. "Really."

"I guess I'll have to delete it myself." Aydin sat on the bed.

Then Box would just have to make a few copies and hide them under a different name and time stamp. The same way it had with Aydin's karaoke clips, Aydin and Damien singing Happy Birthday while dancing, and the recording of Aydin, drunk, professing his love to Box.